Woman joins father as suspect in Glen Burnie killing

Kevin Rector, The Baltimore Sun

A 27-year-old Glen Burnie woman charged with gun possession late last month in a death investigation in which her father was charged with first-degree murder has now been charged with murder as well, according to Anne Arundel County Police.

Police said the new charge was filed after investigators "gathered probable cause" to implicate the woman in the killing, but they did not disclose what that cause was.

Erica Tywanda Banks, 27, of the 7300 block of Green Acres Drive, was spotted by police in the early morning hours of Jan. 27 sitting in a vehicle near the intersection of Tanyard Cove Road and Marley Neck Boulevard in Glen Burnie, along with 24-year-old Tremain Celos Calhoun, of Pasadena, police said.

As police — who had responded to the area for "an unknown disturbance" — approached, they observed Bank's father, Eric Glenn Banks, 48, of Windsor Mill, walking from the wooded area to a second vehicle parked in the area, police said.

Police searched the wooded area and found Darren Dwayne Bell, 26, of Cherry Hill in Baltimore, with multiple gunshot and stab wounds. Bell was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police determined Bell and Erica Banks were longtime acquaintances and were involved in an ongoing dispute. They charged Erica Banks and Calhoun with handgun possession and Eric Banks with first-degree murder.

On Thursday, after further investigation and consultation with the Anne Arundel County State's Attorney's Office, police decided to charge Erica Banks with first-degree murder as well and obtained an arrest warrant, police said.

A special enforcement team took her into custody about 10 a.m. Friday without incident, police said.